


Birdwatching

by The13thBlackCat



Series: Maker, Know My Heart [7]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: AU where Anders got fixed, Conversations, Friendship, Hawke & Varric Tethras Friendship, Multi, Relationship Discussions, Selene thinks she and Cullen are friends but he didn't agree to that, The Hawkes are confused about Cullen, but it's only mentioned briefly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:42:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29222628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The13thBlackCat/pseuds/The13thBlackCat
Summary: Birdwatching goes both ways.Shortly after the Hawke siblings make it to Skyhold, they notice something a little strange about their old acquaintance/unwilling friend. Because Cullen has a boyfriend, now. A mage boyfriend.Mostly conversation, just a little look into Sparrow and Selene trying to figure Cullen out, and then Selene being an ass to him because she's legally required to do so, or he'll think she doesn't love him anymore.
Relationships: Female Hawke & Varric Tethras, Male Hawke & Female Hawke, Male Hawke & Varric Tethras, Male Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford
Series: Maker, Know My Heart [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/485726
Kudos: 5





	Birdwatching

“You’re seeing this, right?”

Sparrow frowned at the question—or rather, his frown deepened, because he had _already_ been frowning. In confusion, mostly.

“This” was the Inquisitor and his commander: they were across Skyhold’s garden, seated together on a bench. But they weren’t merely talking, like one might expect from two people with a purely professional relationship—not even like _friends._ Rather, Maenfen was snuggled up against Cullen’s side, a hand—the glowing one, so it was impossible to miss—absent-mindedly resting on his commander’s thigh, just above his knee. Cullen had his arms draped across the back of the bench, and the one on the side with Maenfen had shifted so he could brush his hand across the elf’s shoulders. Even as Sparrow frowned at them, Maenfen said something that made Cullen break into a grin (it almost made Sparrow blink in surprise to see him grinning _at all;_ every time _he’d_ seen Cullen, the man had been _dreadfully_ serious, and usually annoyed, at best) and lean in to bump his forehead against Maenfen’s as he answered.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m seeing this.”

“Right.” Next to him, Selene was watching the same scene. Varric was on her other side, his attention focused on something he was writing. Sparrow hadn’t asked what.

“So,” Selene continued, her eyes still on Maenfen and Cullen, “I know I’m not at my best, right now. But I don’t think pregnancy affects your memory. Still, correct me if I’m wrong, here: Maenfen’s a mage, right?”

Sparrow nodded slightly, even if Selene wasn’t looking at him. “Last I heard.”

“And that’s, like, common knowledge? Everyone knows?”

“Pretty sure, yes. Seem to recall the Chantry screaming about that for a minute.”

“Right. So _Cullen_ definitely knows. And Cullen is… _Cullen._ About mages.” There was a lilt of a question at the end. Sparrow pursed his lips.

“I… _thought_ so,” he answered finally, uncertainly. Before he could say anything more or Selene could continue, Varric cleared his throat from her other side.

“Oh, that?” He motioned loosely to them; Maenfen had looked away, gesturing as he said something, and Cullen was watching him with the softest _smile_ that still, to Sparrow, looked incredibly out of place on _him_. “That’s not news. It’s been going on for a while.”

“ _What?_ ” Both of the Hawke siblings looked at Varric, though Selene was the one who had spoken. “And you didn’t think to _tell us?_ ”

“I didn’t realize the Inquisitor’s love life was important to you,” Varric answered a bit wryly, cocking an eyebrow at her, and Selene snorted dismissively.

“Don’t play stupid, Varric, it’s not a good look on you.” Selene flicked a hand in Cullen and Maenfen’s general direction. “Not _his._ _Cullen’s._ Just how _long_ has ‘that’ been going on?” She let out a breath. “I didn’t even know he _liked_ men.”

“Do elves _really_ count, though,” Sparrow asked in response. Selene snorted loudly, and he sighed and added, “That would have been funnier if Fenris was here, wouldn’t it?”

“Probably hit you for it,” Selene answered with a grin.

“It’d be worth it,” Sparrow answered. "He's cute when he pouts." Selene sniggered, then cleared her throat, turning her attention back to Varric.

“Varric. Explain. How long has ‘that’ been a thing?”

Varric sighed with a helpless shrug. “Okay, well, not _that_ exactly. _That_ is a bit new. But they’ve had it bad since…forever? They’ve been making eyes at each other pretty much since the second Curly got back from cleaning up the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Kind of a relief they’re actually doing _that_ now, to be honest, instead of just mooning over each other.” He eyed Sparrow for a moment. “They were almost as bad as you and Fenris. …maybe worse, actually, and that’s an _accomplishment_.”

“Your words hurt me, Varric, but only because they’re true.” Sparrow narrowed his eyes at the dwarf. “But really? _Seriously?_ We’re talking about _Cullen,_ Varric. You know that?”

Varric shrugged again. “They knew each other in Kirkwall, I think,” he answered. “Something like that. There’s some history there? I didn’t ask, that’s just what I’ve heard.”

“ _History?_ ” Selene narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the word. “History from _Kirkwall?_ But how—“ She trailed off a moment later, then her attention suddenly snapped to her brother.

“Sparrow! Remember, when Anders’ commander—“

“Aetir,” Sparrow supplied, and she waved a hand.

“—yes, him, when he got Justice out of him? And he needed lyrium, and he _somehow_ convinced Cullen to smuggle some out of the Circle for it? But—“

“But he had that elf mage do it, because that was less obvious than, you know, the _knight-captain._ Also because he can’t sneak for shit in all that armor, and I think he forgot how to take it off.”

“ _Right!_ The dark, jumpy one with the blue eyes.” Selene paused for a beat. “That was _Maenfen?_ ”

“I—“ Sparrow hesitated for a moment, looking back up at the man in question. He had shifted a bit, almost leaning his head on Cullen’s shoulder as he listened to him talk. Cullen’s hand had moved, his fingers brushing through Maenfen’s hair, playing with it absent-mindedly.

“Maker’s balls. I think so.” He let out a breath. “I mean, he looks about right, and…well, he _does_ have a Kirkwall accent, but…” He blew out a breath between his teeth. “ _Wow._ He changed…a _lot._ ”

“No _kidding,_ ” Selene agreed. After a moment of silence, she looked up at Sparrow, her brows raised. “Sparrow. If…if they had _history—_ “

“So I hear,” Varric clarified. Selene waved a hand dismissively in his general direction.

“—and they’re…they’re doing _that_ , now…” She paused, taking a breath, then continued in a low, conspiratorial voice: “ _You don’t think_ they were… _you know…_ ”

“Surely not,” Sparrow cut her off, looking down at his sister. “Selene, you _know_ how Cullen was, in Kirkwall. You spent half your weekends arguing with him about mages!”

“Only a third, at best,” she countered, “I was drunk for a lot of them. What I _know_ is that I have some _questions_ for him now.” She looked back up, shaking her head slightly as she watched them. “Wait until I tell _Anders._ He will have _puppies_ over this, swear.”

“Oh, that’s just _cruel,_ ” Sparrow answered. “You know he’ll probably go rub it in Cullen’s face, right?”

“Not if I do first,” Selene answered cheerfully. As she did, Cullen seemed to have realized he was being watched, because he looked up—and his eyes landed on the three of them. Selene broke into a broad grin and gave a little wave, before pointing to her eyes, then him. _I saw that._

Cullen started a bit, then covered his face with his hand. Maenfen said something, then looked up—and when he realized what _Cullen_ had seen, he broke into a laugh, bumping his forehead into Cullen’s shoulder. The commander dropped his hand to gesture sharply, saying something, and Maenfen just laughed again. He reached up when Cullen paused, taking hold of his chin to turn his face towards him (Cullen relaxed a little at the touch, almost _habitually_ , and Sparrow cocked an eyebrow). He said something, then leaned in to kiss Cullen, softly.

At Sparrow’s side, Selene let out a short, disbelieving breath.

“ _So_ many questions.”

* * *

“ _Knight-captain!_ ”

Cullen heaved a sigh at his old title, but didn’t look up. He didn’t have to—he knew the voice shouting it perfectly well. Finally, he dragged his eyes up to the woman who had swept into his office, beaming proudly at him.

Before he could say anything, she continued:

“Or knight-commander. Or just commander, now, I suppose. You do go through a lot of titles, don't you? _Hello, Cullen._ ”

“Hello, Mistress Hawke.” He took a breath. “What do you want?”

He already knew the answer. _She_ knew he already knew the answer: somehow, her grin seemed to widen a bit. She made her way to his desk—a little awkwardly, given her current state, and not at all like the confident, sensual strut he was used to seeing from her—and braced a hand on top of it to lean down a bit. Her golden eyes sparkled.

“I saw that.” She waited a beat, but before Cullen could answer she continued: “I saw _all_ of that, in the garden. You two are _not_ subtle, ser.”

“We weren’t _trying_ to be,” Cullen answered, flatly. _They certainly had plenty of practice at it, if they wanted to._ He brushed the thought aside; he was done with _that_. “My relationship with the Inquisitor is _hardly_ secret, Selene.”

“Oh, the _Inquisitor,_ how _formal._ ” She tittered. “And after being so _informal_ earlier, too. In front of everyone!”

Cullen sighed, reaching up to rub his temples. “Woman, if you’re quite done, I have work to do.”

Selene snorted. “And _I_ have questions you need to answer.”

“I would rather do almost anything else,” Cullen muttered, but Selene ignored him.

“Varric said you two had _history._ ” She lingered over the last word, and Cullen didn’t need to see her grin to get the implication.

“Maenfen is from Kirkwall, yes. Again, that’s hardly secret. You _met_ him, Selene.” He raised his eyebrows. “Of _course_ we knew each other. He was in Kirkwall’s Circle, I couldn’t have _avoided_ knowing him.”

“I doubt you knew _every_ mage there, ser,” she answered. “Or had _history_ with them all.”

Cullen grunted dismissively. “If you’d known him, you wouldn’t be surprised. He stood out.” He sighed again. “Is that all?” He doubted it was—he knew what she likely suspected and _wanted_ to ask about their _history_ —but Selene was more the type to heavily imply something than state it outright, and if he was lucky, maybe he could chase her out before she actually did.

“I also _thought_ you weren’t quite so _friendly_ with _mages,_ ser,” she answered, raising her eyebrows. Despite himself, Cullen felt his face heat.

_If she’d had half an idea…_

“Selene, I’m not going to spend all day answering personal questions for your amusement. Get out of my office before I have someone escort you out.” He sighed. “I’d have you _thrown_ out on principle, but, well…” He gestured to her loosely.

Selene snorted, straightening. “Oh, you’re all talk, Cullen. You never even _threw_ me out of the _Gallows_ , not _really_. It barely counts as being 'thrown out' if I haven't been called a Fereldan whore or gotten at least a little bloody." She waved a hand, dismissively. "And you’re much less _grumpy_ here, so don’t think your bluffing is going to work on me. I’ve spent a good part of my life around professional bullshitters and you do _not_ compare, ser.” Nonetheless, she turned, though she paused for a moment to look at him. Her expression was softer now, though, more thoughtful. Cullen raised an eyebrow at her impatiently.

“I know I give you a lot of shit, Cullen,” she began, “but…seriously, as weird as this is for me? You seem happy.” She tilted her head, studying him for a second. “It looks nice on you. I like the change.”

Before Cullen could figure out how to answer that, she turned back to the door, making her way out. He sighed, shaking his head, then returned his attention to the paperwork in front of him.

But he couldn’t help but smile, a little.


End file.
